George Carlin

An interview with Judd Apatow about his new HBO docuseries, 'George Carlin's American Dream,' questions he wishes he could ask the late stand-up today, ...

I always thought his hope was that by watching him in this comedic stance of someone who was rooting for the destruction of people and humanity, it was a comic way of pushing people toward the light. He was definitely disappointed that people weren’t taking care of each other and the planet better, and by being so exaggerated in his anger, he was challenging people to live differently. Since you were a writer on The Critic, do you think we could get that back? It’s not like when the entire world was watching Johnny Carson, and if he seemed to be leaning a certain way on an issue, it affected people. He said, “My job is to find the line, take you over it, and make you glad you did.” Sometimes the right wing tries to claim him, because he had such a distrust for the government. I’ve always believed that for young people, if you’re between 10 and 25 and you’re watching a lot of the current political comics, it might help you form your philosophies right after that. Where do you stand on the idea of looking to comedians for guidance? He just put the pieces in place in a way that offers a compelling, full picture of a person whose legacy can be both misunderstood and misrepresented. He would spend an enormous amount of time on farts and boogers and pooping your pants, and oftentimes that was the first half of his set. It made me think of your Garry Shandling doc, because so much of it is about Shandling working on himself and meditation — and meditation and psychedelics are similar in that they’re both about expanding consciousness. The only aspect of his career that I probably didn’t spend enough time on was his silly, dirty, puerile material.

This four-hour documentary series is more than just a love letter to a comedy icon.

Apatow and Bonifiglio land a number of comedy luminaries to speak on Carlin’s brilliance, including Chris Rock, Bill Burr, Patton Oswalt, Jerry Seinfeld, Stephen Colbert, and Jon Stewart. The team behind this project are sharp interviewers and these comedy geniuses want to talk about Carlin. It’s remarkable how “George Carlin’s American Dream” digs into why Carlin was so smart and so talented and somehow avoids hagiography. Some of his best bits have the wordplay of poetry or philosophy, and it’s fascinating to see him develop this brand from out of those early variety show days all the way through his HBO masterpieces. Drugs opened his mind to the world and a true love for semantics would shape the next phase of his career. For the first hour or so of “George Carlin’s American Dream,” Apatow and Bonifiglio largely let Carlin speak for himself. What “George Carlin’s American Dream” really captures is how much its subject was willing to shift and change, never just to sell tickets but to figure out what mattered to him as an artist. The truth captured in HBO’s excellent “George Carlin’s American Dream” is that everyone can appreciate this man’s genius.

George Carlin's anti-authoritarian polemics go viral across the political spectrum, but where did he really stand?

Not long after the special that yielded both “Feminist Blowjob” and “They’re Only Words,” , Carlin made a guest appearance on Larry King Live that prompted another recent viral video, in which he states his preference for comedy that picks on “people in power” over “underdogs.” He’s talking about the sexist, homophobic, xenophobic riffs of Andrew Dice Clay, but the clip exploded because it’s so easy to imagine him talking about the anti-trans crusades of Dave Chappelle or Ricky Gervais. You’re engaging with a certain moment in time you’ve decided to live in forever.” It’s one of the moments when the film most explicitly ties Carlin’s past with our comic present. Of course not—but it’s important context for understanding how his voice, and thinking, evolved over the course of his career, and why we risk exactly the kind of intellectual simple-mindedness he abhorred when we reduce him to a voice of any single political persuasion. And he was talking about them at a time when they were, to put it mildly, not hot topics of the stand-up stage—or on the form’s most prominent platform, the hour-long HBO special. “I was missing who I was.” He fancied himself an anti-authoritarian, but as the mores and morals of that decade shifted, he realized he entertaining the enemy. What Carlin was thinking about were the fundamental lies of American democracy, our predilection for war and conflict, the homogeneity of media. “I was a victim of my success, and here’s what I was missing,” he later explained. That’s the George Carlin we remember now, the one who has truly stood the test of time and retained his cultural relevance. “He called out both sides,” one screen-shot commenter notes, and “both sides” have repurposed his words to their own ends, particularly in the current, heated discourse about who is allowed to say what on the stand-up stage. So as we might expect from a pair of unapologetically progressive (and extremely online) directors like Apatow and Bonfiglio, American Dream serves a purpose beyond the expected aims of biographical documentary and show-business celebration. The clip, which comes from his 1996 HBO special Back in Town, is a pointed, furious evisceration of the hypocrisy, double-talk, and transparent bullshit of the anti-abortion movement. Simple as it gets … They believe a woman’s primary role is to function as a broodmare for the state.”

For comedians of a certain age, there was one album that was worn out on the turntable, dutifully memorized and acted out.

The late stand-up went viral earlier this month thanks to a widely shared routine about abortion from his 1996 HBO special “Back In Town.” “Any time when he was interviewed, whether it was the bigger interviews or even the small interviews with college kids, he would reveal something about his heart or his thinking or his intention,” she said. “It's extraordinary that his material actually created a new category of speech in our country,” said Bonfiglio. We are all humans here trying to figure out our way,” said Kelly Carlin, who co-executive produced the series. And it went from that to getting paid almost nothing in coffeehouses in Greenwich Village.” That was George Carlin's signature “Class Clown.”

George Carlin, featured in the two-part HBO documentary 'George Carlin's American Dream.' (CNN) George Carlin rose to prominence as a ...

As noted, Carlin's mastery of the standup craft has resonated across decades, and continues to do so as news events prompt admirers to quote and recirculate his old routines. As Stephen Colbert notes, Carlin was in many respects the Beatles of comedy. "I wanted to be just like him, getting every word in the right spot," Jerry Seinfeld says.

Judd Apatow y Michael Bonfiglio rinden homenaje al comediante George Carlin en el documental “George Carlin's American Dream” de HBO.

El cómico se volvió viral este mes gracias a una rutina muy compartida sobre el aborto de su especial de HBO de 1996 “Back In Town”. Es interesante lo hambrientos que estamos de su voz en este momento”. También muestra su momento bajo a comienzos de los 80, previo a un espectáculo en el Carnegie Hall que reavivó su carrera. “Es extraordinario que su material de hecho creó una nueva categoría de discurso en nuestro país”, dijo Bonfiglio. Todos somos humanos tratando de encontrar nuestro camino”, dijo Kelly Carlin, coproductora ejecutiva de la serie. Y pasó a que le pagaran casi nada en las cafeterías del Greenwich Village (en Nueva York)”.

He de-transformed into who he actually was,” says Patton Oswalt in George Carlin's American Dream, the stellar new 2-part HBO documentary directed by Judd ...

And in her interviews, she is a forgiving though steeled-eyed observer, a realist—the heart and soul of the documentary. I watched Carlin from afar in his final decades, appreciated his evolution, stood in awe of his drive and discipline, and never begrudged his disappointment in humanity or his deep pessimism. Carlin’s tenderness is revealed in love letters to his first wife, Belinda—their story is heartbreaking and poignant—and singing lullabies to his daughter, Kelly. They are especially touching considering the steady unrest in Carlin’s private life. Just as in Apatow’s absorbing 2018 documentary The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling, we get a vivid evocation of comic’s life and creative process. We listened to the record over and over—as well as the ensuing masterpieces, Class Clown (1972) and Occupation: Foole (1973), which we memorized. Carlin, now slightly hunched, uncoils a storm of social commentary and jokes in a stripped-down style suited to the post-Andrew Dice Clay/Howard Stern/Bill Hicks comedy moment. Carlin broke the news to us—the world is incorrigibly corrupt, stupid, and prone to evil—with indignation and compassion. The first side of FM & AM begins with a routine about the word “shit” and details Carlin’s fall from grace as a successful middle-class comedian. Carlin’s unhurried delivery—droll, friendly, bust-out-loud-funny, and almost always melodic—seeped deep into my pores (to this day I imitate Carlin’s throwaway noises and sound effects). The second side, AM, didn’t have the allure of cursing, but was equally as funny and satirical just lighter and more revved-up, a greatest hits of Carlin’s work from the ’60s. But he liked the comedian and I watched closely when he listened to the album with us, studying what made him laugh hardest. As the co-eldest, I didn’t have the benefit of an older sibling or cousin or friend to introduce me to cool bands, movies, magazines, attitudes, and ideas. Kaye lived just down the block from my grandparents on the Upper West Side, a genial, welcoming woman, and possessor of that enviable 1983 daily double: a VHS machine and cable TV (we didn’t get either at my mom’s house for at least three more years). My sister Sam and I turned twelve the summer Dad lived with Kaye, a cushy, temporary stop for him.

20/20 looks at a possible wrongful conviction in the killings of Dennis and Norma Woodruff in Texas and Dateline reports on the Leslie Neulander murder in ...

The program also explores the evidence against Brandon and includes interviews with Bonnie Woodruff, Brandon’s grandmother; Allison Clayton, deputy director of the Innocence Project of Texas; members of the jury; and witnesses in the trial. Dateline NBC (9 p.m., NBC) - Andrea Canning reports on the story of Leslie Neulander, who died after what appeared to be an accidental fall in the shower in her home in Syracuse, New York. But two friends suspected something more, and they joined forces to seek justice on her behalf. Carlin’s ability to zoom in on societal ills has proven eerily prophetic and much of his work resonates today with alarming - and still hilarious - clarity.

The award-winning filmmaker and comedian digs deep into the journey that is his new HBO documentary, as well as his other recent projects.

The story also covers what his wife Brenda went through as a young woman who was working at a club when she met Geroge, and fell in love, but later in life, she realized that he was out of town a lot and she was very lonely, and she didn’t really feel like she had a path to pursue her dreams, which led to alcoholism and a lot of struggles that she ultimately worked through, and was able to work in production with George and HBO. She was able to accomplish an enormous amount, but it definitely was about a time when it was much more difficult for women to pursue their careers and accomplish their goals while parenting. And personally, it means a lot to me, as someone who has grown up as such a fan of your work to hear your perspective on your approach, and this book has helped me see the art of interviewing in a different light, as well. [laughs] There was something wrong with me, because I didn’t really think I was in workoholism mode, and i must’ve been just frenzied and manic to have so many projects going at the same time. When Sam Kinision hit, he said he didn’t want to be stuck eating his dust, so he wanted to become a better writer, and then did some of the best work of his career later in his career. They were done in a very casual, honest manner, where it was just George telling Tony about his life, and how he felt about the stuff that had happened to him. I met Michael when he was directing an episode of Iconoclasts about me and Lena Dunham. He did such an incredible job on it, and as we were shooting it, I could tell he was a really special documentarian and person. Also, he never spoke very much about his family and his personal life, so it was challenging trying to dig up what that story was, and find an accurate way to portray all the hard times he had in his life with an abusive father, his struggles with addiction, and him trying to be a good parent during some crazy times. But then, we discover that when he was working on his autobiography, he had recorded twenty-three hours worth of interviews about his life with his co-writer, Tony Hendra. We were able to get those tapes, and they were very illuminating. I think he did his work, he went home to his family, and there weren’t twenty buddies sitting around with tons of great stories, so it was up to his brother Patrick, who sadly just passed away, and Kelly to illuminate what he was like and how his journey was. I listened to his records and watched him all the time when I was a kid, and his comedy taught me so much about how to break down ideas, and how to write and think, so I very excited to get the opportunity to tell his story, but I was scared because I thought about how I just didn’t want to do it wrong. But at the very core of the two-part series is also Apatow’s genuine fandom of all things comedy and his never-ending admiration for Carlin, which only made it that much more important for Apatow to bring even the smallest details to the surface in an effort to represent the creative ingenuity that Carlin himself instilled in him. Over the course of the last handful of decades, Carlin’s ever-evolving and ongoing influence on culture has continued, as you point out, so how did you navigate the telling of his story while, in some strange ways, his story and his influence is still unfolding through past works in a modern context, such as his take on Roe vs.

George Carlin's American Dream, which debuts Friday on HBO, shows how the comedian's persona sharpened over the years, from genial jokester to hardened ...

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HBO presents a two-part appreciation of the influential comedian George Carlin. Sissy Spacek and J.K. Simmons are the reason to watch the offbeat sci-fi ...

- Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers (streaming on Disney+):John Mulaneyand Andy Sambergprovide the voices of the chipper cartoon chipmunks in a meta live action-CGI movie comedy. - True Crime Watch: OnDateline NBC(9/8c), Andrea Canning updates the case of Leslie Neulander from Syracuse, N.Y., whose death in 2012, first reported as an accidental fall in the shower, led to the conviction of her doctor husband. The documentary draws on first-hand accounts to show how Autopilot has contributed to a number of deaths and accidents, which Tesla has not publicly acknowledged, including allegations that Musk has pressured government officials to subvert investigations into the perils of self-driving technology. Among those returning to the runway: The Vivienne (from the U.K. version’s Season 1), Jaida Essence Hall, Jinkx Monsoon, Monét X Change, Raja, Shea Couleé, Trinity the Tuck and Yvie Oddley. The roster of guest judges is nearly as colorful, including Cameron Diaz, Betsey Johnson, Ben Platt, Ronan Farrow, Nikki Glaser and Hacks’ Hannah Einbinder. With daughter Kelly providing candid memories of his battle with drugs and his brother Patrick (since deceased) shining profane light on Carlin’s childhood and career, this special (concluding Saturday) is not to be missed. (As is often the case with streaming shows these days, I kept thinking this might have made a better movie than a laborious series.) Great Performances goes to Central Park for a Harlem-set twist on Shakespeare. FX’s The New York Times Presents series takes a hard look at Elon Musk’s controversial advocacy of self-driving technology. - The Valet(streaming on Hulu): Eugenio Derbezis the title character of a rom-com (a remake of a French film) about a hard-working valet who’s enlisted in a cover-up to pose as a movie star’s ( Samara Weaving) new boyfriend when he appears in the same paparazzi photo as the actress and her secret married lover ( The Neighborhood’s Max Greenfield). Sissy Spacek and J.K. Simmons are the reason to watch the offbeat sci-fi drama Night Sky. An all-star season of RuPaul’s Drag Race features a cast of former winners. No, this isn’t about the zillionaire’s flirtation with Twitter or his adventures in space travel. “This is our riddle to solve,” Irene insists. If only George Carlin were with us today, aiming his withering gaze and his nimble wordplay at society’s extremes, from QAnon to cancel culture.

Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words" act ignited an obscenity case in the '70s. We listen back to two archival interviews with the late comedian, and David ...

Además, Jon Stewart, Bette Midler, Judy Gold y Kamau Bell también fueron entrevistados para el documental. Judd Apatow y Michael Bonfiglio fueron los directores ...

Cómo cuestionar la autoridad. Cómo usar la voz. El sueño americano de George Carlin es una serie de dos partes sobre el legendario comediante George Carlin.

George Carlin died in 2008, but he's very much alive in popular culture. In fact, the battle over his comedic legacy may have just begun. Not only are.

Now? Apatow is a hard-charging partisan eager to smite comics for telling the “wrong” jokes. The next salvo in the Carlin Wars? HBO’s “George Carlin’s American Dream,” which debuts May 20, offers a comprehensive look at his life and comedic legacy. Kelly Carlin suggests her father would stand up for both free speech and the Chappelles of the world. Carlin’s daughter fretted some might see her pappy as “anti-vax,” too, despite the misinformation about the medicine’s efficacy and those draconian vax mandates. So, too, does Carlin’s daughter, Kelly Carlin. Together, they deem any attempt on the Right to leverage Carlin’s shtick as “dangerous.” But the continued relevance of Carlin’s material can be dangerous, too.